The People Around Us

There are two kinds of people in life, the ones who make us feel great about ourselves and the ones who do the exact opposite. No matter how strong of a person you are, you are affected by either type. These kinds of people are there in every stage of our lives, when we are young, in high school, during university, the first years at work, and definitely when we become parents. As a parent, what do you do if you see your child struggling with the type that is definitely not good for him/her? And what would you do if you decide to interfere and your child refuses to listen to you? My niece has be-friended the bullies and has become fascinated with the popularity that comes with the cool (yet sometimes bullying) kids. Despite the attention for their "coolness", she comes home after school feeling terrible about how those kids treat some of their peers and hates the person she becomes in that specific moment. This situation is just a microcosm of society don't you think? If you think of it, it happens all too often that we end up doing things we are not so comfortable with, just to please others. If we don't teach our children to deal with it when they are young, they might be "bullied" into others' ways for the rest of their lives. However, if they refuse to listen, is force the right way?